Sunday, August 21, 2011

Fr. Ryan Erlenbush, Sunday Sermon: Only the Church shall overcome the gates of hell

The Sunday homily of Fr. Ryan Erlenbush, on the unique nature of the Church.

When Jesus says that "the gates of the nether world shall not prevail against it", he means to tell us that the powers of hell will prevail against every other reality (every philosophy, ideology, nation, power, etc) excepting insofar as it is united to the Church. The Church alone will overcome the gates of hell. Only in the Church can men hope to find salvation.

2
comments:

Anonymous
said...

Wonderful sermon, Father Ryan!

Last night I was thinking about this Gospel...so much of what went on behind the scenes has not been told to us. For instance, I doubt that Peter or any of the apostles present when Our Lord spoke about the gates of hell not prevailing against His Church had any idea what He was talking about. I could almost see Peter's brother going to him and asking him "What does He mean?" I'm sure Peter had no idea either what Our Lord meant at the time!

Yes, little by little they came to understand.Perhaps, Peter only fully understood when he returned to Rome and accepted his martyrdom. Quo vadis Domine? "Lord, where are you going?" "I am going to be crucified."Then where fulfilled our Savior's words, "when you are old..."